Clasp or holder.



' A. J.. POLLOGK.

CLASP 0B HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

982,298,. "Patented Jan. 24, 19111 T Q ICE ALEXANDER J. POLLOCK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CLASP OR HOLDER.

Application filed June 10, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 501,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER J. POL- LOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clasps or Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my new clasp or holder; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof with the cover-plate or spring-depressing member in raised or open position; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view 011 the line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but with the cover-plate or spring-depressing member in lowered or closed position; Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view on the line 55, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 66, Fig. 2, the bezel not being shown; and Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the securingspring-member detached.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in clasps or holders, the ob ject of my invention being to provide a de 1 vice of the kind described which is neat, or-

namental, easily manufactured, and strong, and which, after engagement with a pocket or article in connection with which it is adapted to be used, will not, without damaging or injuring said pocket or article, become disengaged therefrom except by a positive operation on the part of the user.

With this object in view, my invention consists in the novel construction of the several parts of my clasp or holder and in the novel arrangement and combination of the same, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

My clasp or holder is especially adapted for use as a watch-guard to prevent the watch being lostor surreptitiously withdrawn from a pocket, and it will be de scribed herein in that connection; but it is to be understood that my clasp or holder is also well adapted for many other uses, such as, for instance, a tie or scarf holder, a chatelaine-bag holder, and the like.

As shown in the drawing, the body portion A of my clasp or holder comprises a plate or elongated strip which is bent substantially U-shaped, so as to provide front and rear members 1 and 2, respectively, adapted to straddle the outer edge of a pocket, waist-band, or other convenient place, the rear member 2 being inserted into the pocket or behind the waistband.

Mounted on, and at the side and bottom edges of and preferably integral with, the front face of said front member or plate 1 is a frame formed of continuous side ribs 3 and bottom rib 4. The inner sides of this frame formed by said ribs 3 and 4 are under-cut or grooved, as at 5, in which groove slidably fits a cover-plate or spring-depressing member 6. This plate 6 is provided at its upper edge with an outwardly-projecting rib 7 which is adapted not only to serve as a handle or grasping portion for raising or opening said cover-plate 6, but which is also adapted, when said cover-plate is in lowered or closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, to bear against the upper ends of said ribs 3 to complete the frame around the edges of said front member or plate 1, so as to give the clasp or holder a neat outer appearance, it being obvious that, as shown in Fig. l, the outer face or surface of said cover-plate 6 may be ornamented, decorated, or engraved in any desired manner.

On the outer face of the front member or plate 1 and between said side ribs 3 is mounted a securing-member comprising preferably a cross-member 8 having resilient tongues or springs 9 projecting from each end thereof. The cross-member 8 is adapted to be riveted or otherwise secured at the upper edge portion of the plate 1 between said ribs 3, and the said tongues or springs 9 normally-that is to say, when the clasp or holder is in open posit-ion extend obliquely outwardly therefrom, for purposes hereinafter appearing, the said tongues or springs 9 being of a length preferably so that, when said cover-plate 6 has been brought to closed position, the lower ends thereof on being depressed will fall just above the upper side of said rib 4. On the under side of said springs or tongues 9 and at the lower ends thereof are secured or mounted rearwardly-projecting pointed pins 10, which are adapted to project through perforations 11 in plate 1 and into the side of said pocket, waist-band, or the like, when said cover-plate 6 is brought to closed position and said springs or tongues 9 thereby depressed. It is preferable, in order that said cover-plate 6 may not be entirely withdrawn from said groove 5, to provide studs 12 near the lower outer ends thereof, which studs are adapted to contact with lateral projections or lugs 17 near the upper ends of the side ribs 8 when said cover-plate 6 is brought to uppermost raised position, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the above description, the operation of my clasp or holder is plain. hen the clasp or holder is not in use, or, rather, when the cover-plate 6 is in raised or open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower ends of said springs or tongues 9 away from the plane of said member 1, said pins 10 being out of the space between said members 1 and 2, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. \Vhen said cover-plate 6 is lowered or brought to closed position, the said springs or tongues 9 are depressed substantially parallel with the plane of said member as shown in Fig. 4, and the teeth or pins 10 forced inwardly through said perforations 11 to engage the material or article which may be between said members 1 and 2, said pins piercing or firmly gripping said material or article and preventing the removal of the clasp or holder until said pins have been again released. And when the cover-plate 6 is in closed position, the resiliency of said springs or tongues 9 will frictionally hold said coverplate against withdrawal except by a positive pull on the part of the user overcoming such friction.

On the lower edge of the front member or plate 1 may be formed an eye or loop 13, to which a chain 14 may be attached, as shown in Fig. 2. This loop and chain may, however, be dispensed with should it be desired to apply the clasp or holder to uses, such, for instance, as a scarf-holder, where it would not be desirable to have a chain thereon.

In order also to add to the attractiveness and usefulness of my clasp or holder, I preferably mount on said front plate or member 1, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, a frame 15, in which frame a portrait or the like may be suitably mounted and secured in position by a bezel 16, as in an ordinary locket.

It is obvious that my clasp or holder can be made of any size desired; it is strong and it fully accomplishes the object heretofore stated.

It is also to be understood that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my clasp or holder might be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clasp comprising a body portion having front and back members adapted to receive therebetween the material to be gripped, a spring-depressing member slidably arranged on said front member, a reesaz s silient member secured at one end to said front member, the opposite end of said resilient member being adapted to pro ect away from the plane of said front member when said spring-depressing member is in open position, and a pin on said projecting end of said resilient member adapted, when said spring-depressing member is brought to closed position, to engage said material, said spring-depressing member being adapted, when brought to closed position, to depress said projecting end. of said resilient member into a position substantially parallel with the plane of said front member, and said front member being provided wit-h a perforation through which said pin is adapted to pass when said projecting end of said resilient member is depressed; substantially as described.

2. A clasp comprising a body portion having front and back members adapted to receive therebetween the material to be gripped, a spring-depressing member slidably arranged on said front member, a U- shaped resilient member mounted on said front member, the leg portions of said resilient member being adapted to project away from the plane of said front member when said spring-depressing member is in open position, and pins on said leg portions of said resilient member adapted, when said spring-depressing member is brought to closed position, to engage said material, said spring-depressing member being adapted, when brought to closed position, to depress said leg portions into a position substantially parallel with the plane of saidfront member, and said front member be ing provided with perforations through which said pins are adapted to pass when said leg portions are depressed; substantially as described.

3. A clasp comprising a body portion having front and back members adapted to receive therebetween the material to be gripped, a frame on said front member, a spring-depressing cover-member slidably arranged in said frame, a U-shaped securingmember arranged on said front member within said frame and under said covermember and having resilient leg portions adapted to project away from the plane of said front member when said cover-member is in raised position, and pins on said leg portions adapted, when said cover member is brought to closed position, to engage said material, said cover-member being adapted, when brought to closed position, to depress said leg portions into a position substantially parallel with the plane of sa d front member, and said front member being provided with perforations through whlch said pins are adapted to pass when said leg portions are depressed; substantially as described.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a body portion comprising front and rear members adapted to receive therebet-Ween the material to be gripped, of a cover-member, an open frame on said front member in which said cover-member is slidably mounted, a securing member mounted on said front member within said frame and having resilient leg portions projecting therefrom and-extending away from. the plane of said front member When said covermember is in open position, means on said leg portions adapted to engage said material When said cover-member is brought to closed position said cover-member being adapted to depress said leg portions When brought to closed position, and a rib on said covermember adapted to register With the open portion of said frame when said cover-member is brought to closed position; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALEXANDER J. POLLOCK. lVitnesses:

JOHN BOYLE, l SHEPARD R. EVANS.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 982,298, granted January 2%,

1911, upon the application of Alexander J. Pollock, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Clasps or Holders, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 10, before the Word away the word project should be inserted; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D., 1911.

[SEAL] E. B. MOORE,

Commissioner of Patents. 

